We Only Find Them When They're Dead #8

We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #8

BOOM! Studios 2020

Written by Al Ewing

Illustrated by Simone Di Meo

Colour Assists by Mariasara Miotti

Lettered by Andworld Design

Tensions come to a head between the Harvesters and the Worshippers at Malik's Flight as Marlyn Chen's true plan is revealed.

Meanwhile, Jason will find himself embroiled in a conspiracy and heist that makes Captain Malik's original quest pale in comparison.

It has been a while since I’ve reviewed this series. I know a lot of folks really like this book and it really is easy to see why. It is kind of like Dynasty and Breakout Kings had a baby and this is that child. Impossible heist with all the drama, intrigue, backstabbing that you can possibly handle and then some. It is why I love this book the way that I do. Also the sheer fact that one woman, Marlyn Chen, and her own machinations and manipulations throughout all this is the leading factor that only she is privy to is proving to be one of the series highlights. I mean this woman is as smart, daring, bold as she is ruthless in what she’ll do for what she wants and she’s been playing everyone around her as the fool. It really is something to witness and it makes you have this new respect for Al for being able to create and showcase this kind of woman.

I am very much thoroughly enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter continues to really bring out their personalities and make them feel like real people.

How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen is marvellously rendered. How we see these layers being explored and how the avenues open up and beg to be explored. Whether they work with the main arc or not they all add this delicious depth, dimension and complexity to the story. The way we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved exceptionally well.

There is a definite style to the interior artwork here. I love the way we see the faces of these characters, the linework is clean, crisp and strong and the varying weights and techniques that we see being utilised to create the detailed work that we see is marvellous. With the composition within the panels we see a lot of suggested imagery and how this works to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story wonderfully. There is just something about the creativity and imagination to the work we see that makes this such a beautiful science fiction story and that it just maintains this high quality standard is utterly fabulous. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is bewitching. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is phenomenal to see.

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This book is like the inside of a clock. It has all these moving pieces that rely upon each other to keep working. It is intricate, strong yet delicate looking and runs like a well oiled machine should and it’s this that Al does so incredibly well. That I don’t know when one plot line will end or become active and how they could possibly criss cross each other at any given moment keeps the reader guessing and instilling that desire to know more. With amazingly solid writing and intriguing characterisation wrapped up in these eye catching interiors this is one of those series we just don’t talk about enough.